


The ups and down in beantown

by cedarrapidsgirl



Category: MASH (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2011-12-24
Updated: 2011-12-23
Packaged: 2017-10-27 23:31:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/301260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cedarrapidsgirl/pseuds/cedarrapidsgirl





	1. Chapter 1

Hawkeye lived in Boston now. He had moved there after his dad died a year after he got home. He couldn't live in Maine anymore. There was nothing left there for him. He knew Boston-after all, he had done his residency here-and he had some friends here. Trapper was here. It was good to get back in touch with him, after his abrupt good-bye in Korea. After lots of drinks and lots of talking, it was like they had never been apart. Charles was here too, although he probably wouldn't admit to knowing Pierce publicly, Hawkeye knew that he could turn to Charles if he needed to. If a man couldn't count on his friends, who could he count on? He didn't have any family to turn to.

Then there was Margaret. She was in Boston too. Hawkeye didn't know why she chose this town, out of all the places in the world she could be, although he surmised that it was for the same reason he relocated. Because she knew people here too-the same people Hawkeye knew-and she didn't have anyone else, really, and she didn't want to be alone either.

Hawkeye didn't even know that Margaret was in Boston when he first moved here. She came here right after the war. She was here first. Trapper knew she was here, she was even working with him, and he didn't even say anything. When Hawkeye pressed him as to why Trapper failed to mention this important piece of information he just grinned that trademark-gotcha grin, the bastard. Of course, Trapper just knew of Hawkeye versus Hotlips and not Hawkeye and Margaret. Hawkeye first ran into the former Major Houlihan-now Nurse Houlihan-on his second day at Boston General. Trapper got him the job, because that's where he worked. Thank God Trapper worked there, instead of Boston Mercy. Him, Trapper and Charles, all at the same hospital? While they were all excellent doctors, all the tempers, egos (well, Charles', anyway) and idiosyncracies would probably reduce the hospital to rubble in a matter of days. Where was he? Oh yeah, Maj-Margaret Houlihan. It was his second day, and he was heading back to Trapper's office to meet him for lunch, and he ran into her-literally, sending all the papers both were holding everywhere.

"Why don't you watch where you're going, Doctor?" Margaret bend down to pick up the papers. She hadn't recognized him yet. Hawkeye knew that voice immediately, and froze. But just like that, the infamous Hawkeye wit took over and he spoke.

"Sorry Major." He smiled. "But I just seen my favorite officer in the U.S. Army, and I just didn't watch were I was going." Hawkeye looked up and seen Trapper coming out of his office, trying not to laugh at the chaos on the floor. Margaret stammered, stuttered, and then managed to get out a few choked words.

"Pierce-what-what-what are you doing here?" Hawkeye's face broke out in a huge grin to see Margaret so flustered.

"What, Margaret, you think I was talking about you? You know Trapper was my favorite officer at the 4077th... or was it Frank?" Hawkeye laughed out loud as Margaret continued to try to pull herself together, and also at Trapper as he looked at him warily, not quite sure about Hawkeye's statement. He smiled. "I'm kidding you both, Trap. Margaret, calm down." He bent down and grabbed some papers. "And to answer your question, I work here. My dad died a little over a year ago, and Trapper pulled some strings and got me on staff." Margaret finally regained her ability to form coherent sentences.

"Well, Doctor, this is a surprise." Margaret said cooly.

"Margaret, there's no need to be formal."Hawkeye said.

"Yeah, you can be yourself with us, Major," Trapper spoke up. "C'mon, let's go to lunch." Hawkeye and Trapper started down the hall.

"Come on, Margaret, you too." Hawkeye insisted. Margaret hesitated for a moment, and then joined the doctors headed toward the cafeteria.

That was the first day, Hawkeye thought to himself. Anyone who had seen that last kiss in Korea would have thought whenever those two met up again they would be together immediately and forever.

Well, they were wrong. After that infamous first lunch at the hospital, they would call each other, every once in a while, when one or the other needed to talk. It usually turned out to be Margaret calling Hawkeye about the latest somebody who thought they were somebody but turned out to be nobody. While the flames of passion for each other still burned, it was often overshadowed by the hotter fires of stubbornness and tempers. Old habits die hard, and the pair spent more than a few hours in heated conversation. And not happy heated conversation, either.

But over the last couple weeks it had been quiet at the Pierce apartment, Hawkeye noticed. Since Margaret's break up with the latest "Mr. Right," she seemed different. Calmer, more sure of herself. Maybe she's made a break through regarding her crazy love life. Or a breakdown. With Margaret, you couldn't be too sure. Still wondering what all this boiled down to, Hawkeye sat down on the couch with his sandwich and lemonade.


	2. Trapper's Troubles

Hawkeye was rinsing out his glass and just put his plate in the sink when the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Hawkeye, it's Margaret." Her voice was unsteady, which gave Hawkeye some cause for concern. "Hawkeye, I-I think you need to come over here right away."

"Why? What's wrong?" He could feel a gnawing in his stomach which never meant anything good.

"It's Trapper. He's here, but I think he'd better come and get him. He's in pretty bad shape."

"Why? What's going on? Margaret, you have three seconds to tell me what happened, or-"

"Hawkeye, just get over here, to my place, okay? See you in a little bit." And with that she hung up.

Hawkeye grabbed his keys and headed for the door. He got in his car and headed for Margaret's apartment. What could the emergency be? It couldn't be medical, because even Margaret knew when to call an ambulance, and she wouldn't call him first over faster medical help. Why was Trapper over at Margaret's, anyway? He looked at his watch. Almost 6:30. If he wasn't working, Trapper was always at home with his wife and daughters. You could almost set your watch by it. While it was no secret that Trapper hadn't been in the running for husband of the year, in the last month or so he'd been trying to clean up his act, at least for his daughters' sake.

So if Trapper was somewhere else besides home, and as Margaret said, "in bad shape", that must mean-Hawkeye shook his head. Louise had kicked him out. If that was true, Trapper would be devastated. Hawkeye arrived at Margaret's complex and pulled into a spot. He ran up the two flights of stairs and stood outside the door to the apartment. This was not going to be easy or pretty. He knocked on the door.

Margaret answered, looking relieved. "Oh, Hawk, I'm glad you're here. Trapper really needs someone right now."

"Where is he?" He glanced over Margaret's shoulder into the living room, where he could see his friend lying on the couch, with his arm over his eyes.

"In the living room, laying down." She looked over at Trapper, stepped into the hall and closed the door behind her slightly. She lowered her voice. "Louise threw him out."

"I suspected as much, since it's almost 7 p.m. and he's not at home, like he usually is. Do you know anything else?"

Margaret sighed. "Not much. I guess Louise has found someone else, someone who can take care of her and the girls, and not be running around on her like he does."

"Jeez, a guy just can't get a break, can't he? I mean, Trapper is no saint, but he was trying, anyway. He should get some credit for that." Hawkeye ran his fingers through his hair. "Has he been drinking?"

"Yeah. A lot. I know that he had cut back on that too, trying to save his marriage." They both stood out in the hallway for a minute, thinking.

"Margaret, this might not be the time to ask, but I'm going to ask anyway. Why is Trapper here? I mean, not to undermine your friendship, but you two have never really have been close. I mean, unless there's something I don't know about, but why didn't he come to my place instead?" Hawkeye spoke rapidly, and he knew he was treading in dangerous territory. Discussions about Margaret's relationships always seemed to evoke the Houlihan temper, which he didn't need right now. He tried to talk himself out of the corner he was in. "I'm sorry, Margaret, I didn't mean that the way it sounded, it's just that-"

"Hawkeye, shut up. I know what you mean, and I know how it looks." Thankfully, Margaret's eyes were calm, and not full of the raging fire of anger Hawkeye had seen much too often. " Trust me, there is nothing going on between me and Trapper. The reason that Trapper is here is because the bar that he got thrown out of is halfway between his former house and mine. And as you probably know, that bar is only about four blocks from here. They called me and asked me if I knew a John McIntyre, and if I did would I come and get him before they called the police. So I went. When I got there, the bartender told me he had asked Trapper if he knew anyone that could come and get him. He told them to call you, but he couldn't remember your number, and it isn't listed. So Trapper came up with my name, and that number they could find in the book. So here he is. Thanks for coming over, by the way."

Hawkeye was relieved. Of course Trapper would call Margaret when he couldn't reach him. It all made sense. Trapper and Margaret lived close to each other, while Hawkeye lived on the other side of town. Hawkeye knew he shouldn't be so possessive of Margaret. It's not like they were a couple or anything. Still, he knew that deep down he cared for her, and he didn't want to lose her, not even to Trapper.

Margaret interrupted his thoughts. "Hey, I hate to interrupt your beautiful daydream, but could you please get him out of here? I have a date in an hour that I would like to get ready for."

"A date? With who?" Hawkeye tried to keep his voice casual, but something in his voice gave away the slightest hint of jealousy.

Margaret caught the tone of his voice, and her response and eyes reflected it. "None of your business." She said icily as she opened the door to the apartment to let them both in. She changed the subject. "Here's the man of the hour. Trapper, Hawkeye's here to take you to his place."

"Uhhh." Trapper moaned as he heard the pair approach. "Margaret, stop screaming. I ain't getting up until you do."

Margaret smiled. "I'm not screaming, Trap. I'm just talking normal. Now, I don't want to rush you or anything, but I have a commitment in an hour and I need you two to leave." She helped him to his feet.

Hawkeye laughed as he grabbed Trapper's arm and led him toward the door. "A commitment? I was told that she had a date, and she tells you she has a commitment. How do you rate bigger words than me?"

Trapper laughed too, his hazel eyes glassy. His words were slurred. "I dunno. Maybe she thinks I can handle them better than you. I'm better educated. I went to school longer than you did."

"That's only because you had to go to summer school after your sophomore year of college. Now come on, Socrates, we got a long night ahead of us." He led Trapper down the stairs and to the car, and they both headed back to his apartment.


End file.
